Both Consort Rou and the Empress were married when You Lanfeng was still the Crown Prince. Therefore, they enjoyed undiminished favor in the harem for many years, even surpassing the Empress in some instances. This is why the Empress has constantly vied for the Emperor's favor, even using the Crown Prince and You Xuewu as tools in her struggle.
Consort Rou had never really agreed with the Empress's approach. Couldn't the two of them, who were originally from the same generation, unite against external threats? Why did she have to fight her to the death? Besides, her seventh prince was the youngest, and the princess had already married out of the country. There was no one to compete with the Empress for her position; it was all just her pride acting up.
Even though the Emperor dotes on her, it doesn't outweigh her favor, does it? After all, she's the Empress, while she's just a Noble Consort.
Consort Rou, as her name suggests, appeared delicate and frail, with a soft and gentle voice, but her personality was completely different.
Although she didn't want her son to compete for that supreme position, he wasn't someone anyone could bully.
She was initially unwilling to participate in this marriage alliance, but later thought that if her son married early, some people might feel at ease and wouldn't harm him, so she agreed. Regardless of who the woman was, it was merely a formality. Later, when her son found someone he liked, or when she took a fancy to another woman, she could simply make her a secondary wife.
Unexpectedly, in the year since the marriage alliance, her son has been unusually diligent. He rarely visits his mother, but it's said that he's been frequently going to the backyard to see the princess.
In the year since the marriage alliance, her son has never brought her into the palace, and he has been too lazy to summon her. He has not even invited her to the palace banquets. He had almost forgotten that he had such a daughter-in-law.
She also wanted to see what this princess, whom she was sent to marry, looked like, and how she could make her spoiled son look at her differently.
At this moment, Mu Qiangwei had been standing in Consort Rou's Yu Rou Palace for half an hour. Mu Qiangwei had heard that Consort Rou had summoned her, so she got up early to dress up. It was her first time meeting her mother-in-law, and she was a little nervous.
Although Consort Rou deliberately made things difficult for her, at least she wasn't made to stand in the sun, otherwise her frail body probably wouldn't have been able to endure it for so long.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine requests your presence."
Mu Qiangwei nodded and gently returned the greeting: "Thank you, Granny."
"You're too kind, Your Highness."
Mu Qiangwei followed the nanny into the main hall and saw the noble woman sitting directly in front of her. She knelt down and bowed.
"Mu Qiangwei greets the Imperial Concubine, may Your Highness live a thousand years!"
“Raise your head.”
Consort Rou took a closer look. The woman kneeling before her was dressed in palace attire, her hair was tied up, her makeup was exquisite, her face was pretty, and her waist was so small that it could be encircled by a single hand. She looked respectful and did not seem flustered in front of her, yet she addressed her as Consort Rou. Interesting.
"Please get up and take a seat."
Mu Qiangwei got up and sat down to the side.
"Rose, is it? I've heard that Yi'er has been going to your courtyard a lot these days. Can you tell me what Yi'er has been doing there?"
Mu Qiangwei replied respectfully, "Your Highness simply went to the courtyard to eat and drink, admire the flowers and plants, and look after the chickens and ducks. He did nothing else."
Now Consort Rou was puzzled. All he did was eat and drink. Could it be that neither the food in the palace nor the food in his own residence could satisfy his appetite? And the taste was different when he ate in her courtyard versus when he ate in his own courtyard?
"Does your yard have a separate kitchen?"
Mu Qiangwei nodded: "Yes, Your Highness, it's just me and Xiaoxiu in our courtyard. We usually cook for ourselves."
Consort Rou suddenly smashed her teacup on the ground, startling Mu Qiangwei and all the servants of Yu Rou Palace, who all knelt down.
"Yi'er, what's wrong? Why didn't they arrange servants to attend to you?"
Although she was a princess sent for a political marriage and no one liked her, the proper rules still had to be followed. If the emperor found out that Yi'er had done this, she would probably be scolded again.
Mu Qiangwei quickly explained, "Your Highness, this is not His Highness's fault. I felt that too many people would cause chaos, so I didn't have anyone serve me. Besides, His Highness has arranged everything very well, and I am already very satisfied."
Consort Rou, upon hearing Mu Qiangwei's words, began to look at her in a different light. A princess sent for a political marriage should have been pampered and lived a life of luxury, yet she did everything herself. Even when Consort Rou reprimanded Yi'er, she spoke up for Yi'er and didn't complain to her about it; it was quite interesting.
"Get up, everyone."
Mu Qiangwei stood up and returned to her seat.
"Is your girl's cooking really that delicious? I heard Yi'er has been going there every day lately?"
Mu Qiangwei shook her head: "Your Highness, I always cook when His Highness visits. His Highness says that the mansion does not support idlers, and that I should pay some rent since I have lived in the prince's mansion for so long."
Consort Rou had just taken a sip of tea when she heard Mu Qiangwei's words and spat it all out.
Consort Rou glanced at the nanny beside her in disbelief. "She's talking about my son?"
The old woman shook her head, indicating that she didn't know.
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